A Viewer’s Guide to Marathon Madness

By Rob DausterNov 12, 2012, 2:00 PM EST

First and foremost, Tuesday’s schedule (all times ET):

12:00 AM: West Virginia at No. 19 Gonzaga (ESPN)
2:00 AM: Davidson at New Mexico (ESPN)
4:00 AM: Houston Baptist at Hawaii (ESPN)
6:00 AM: Stony Brook at Rider (ESPN)
8:00 AM: Northern Illinois at Valparaiso (ESPN)
10:00 AM: Harvard at Massachusetts (ESPN)
12:00 PM: Temple at Kent State (ESPN)
2:00 PM: Detroit at St. John’s (ESPN)
4:00 PM: Butler at Xavier (ESPN)
6:00 PM: No. 6 Kentucky at No. 1 Baylor (Women’s) (ESPN2)
7:00 PM: No. 22 Michigan St vs. No. 7 Kansas (ESPN)
7:00 PM: Wichita State at VCU (ESPNU)
8:00 PM: Cleveland State/Bowling Green at No. 5 Michigan (NIT) (ESPN2)
9:00 PM: Lehigh/Robert Morris at Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
9:00 PM: No. 9 Duke vs No. 3 Kentucky (ESPN)
10:00 PM: UNT/Alabama-Huntsville at Kansas State (ESPN2)

We’ll have quite a bit of content up throughout the marathon, but in an effort to help you manage your time (and your naps), here is a Viewer’s Guide for which games to watch, which games to TiVo and when you can grab a few minutes of shuteye:

Only miss these games to see the birth of your FIRST child:

No. 9 Duke vs. No. 3 Kentucky: The intrigue of this matchup goes well beyond the fact that it features two top ten teams. Duke may be despised nationally, but it’s because they have the reputation for being a squeaky-clean program that can do no wrong and consistently produces overrated college players. Kentucky is despised nationally as well, but that’s because they are coached by college basketball’s version of Bain, make a mockery of the idea of “student-athletes” with their approach to the one-and-done rule, and have no problem flaunting their strength on the recruiting trail. Good vs. evil, if you will. And thanks to guys like Christian Laettner and the bosses at UPS, there is no love lost between these two fan bases.

It should be quite entertaining on the court as well. Kentucky once again brings in a loaded recruiting class, but just how good that group is going to end up being is still unclear, especially if Ryan Harrow isn’t 100%. Duke, on the other hand, is coming off of a year where they lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament and returns a number of key pieces from that team. But there has been a movement promoting the idea that these Blue Devils are actually better than last year’s team. Is this group truly a title contender?

No. 22 Michigan State vs. No. 7 Kansas: Just how good is Michigan State? That’s the question that everyone has after the Spartans lost to a UConn team that was decimated by transfers, early-entry and coaching changes during the offseason. The Spartans are big and physical along their front line, but are yet to know if this is a team that has enough scoring prowess on their perimeter to be a real threat this year. Kansas, on the other hand, is a bit of a wildcard this season. They have the potential to be one of the nation’s most complete teams this year, but that will only be true if Ben McLemore and Perry Ellis can develop into legitimate scoring threats. How much will we learn from Tuesday night?

You can miss these for a hot date, but they have to be at least a nine and NOT already your significant other:

West Virginia at No. 19 Gonzaga: The Mountaineers are one of the sleepers in the Big 12 this season, buoyed by transfers Juwan Staten and Aaric Murray. But this may end up being the best Gonzaga team in recent memory, especially if Polish import Prmezek Karnowski is as good as he looked in the opener.

Davidson at New Mexico: Davidson made the NCAA tournament last season and beat Kansas in Kansas City, and they returned EVERYONE. The Wildcats could end up being the best mid-major team in the country this side of Creighton. But New Mexico brings back quite a bit from last season, as well, and has spent the entire offseason hearing about how they don’t have a chance in the MWC this year. The only shame is the 2:00 AM east coast tip for Davidson; we may not see their best performance.

Wichita State at VCU: This is not the same Wichita State team that took the court last season, but the Shockers are still one of the top three teams in the MVC, especially with the addition of Oregon transfer Malcolm Armstead. Armstead’s addition will be valuable, as WSU is going to have a serious test on their hands with VCU’s ‘Havoc’ system and 40 minutes worth of full-court pressure.

Butler at Xavier: This is actually a intra-conference game now, although it won’t count in the Atlantic 10 standings. Xavier went off for 117 points in their opener against a depleted Farleigh Dickinson, but they’ll have their hands full with the Bulldogs, who look like one of the best teams in the league. Keep an eye on Roosevelt Jones, who will be playing a similar role to that of Draymond Green for Michigan State last season.

Harvard at UMass: This game got a lot less intriguing when Kyle Casey and Brandyn Curry were forced to miss this season. That said, the Crimson still have quite a bit of talent, albeit youthful talent, at their disposal this year, while UMass is a sleeper in the A-10. Keep an eye on Chaz Williams, the point guard for the Minutemen. He may be the nation’s best kept secret.

North Texas/UA-Huntsville at Kansas State: Here’s top hoping that North Texas wins tonight against Huntsville. I’d love to see Tony Mitchell taking on the Wildcats in Manhattan.

Lehigh/Robert Morris at Pitt: Ditto for Lehigh and Pitt. CJ McCollum is fresh off of a 36 point performance at Baylor.

You can play bridge with your Grandmother, just make sure you have the game on in the back ground:

Temple at Kent State: Kent State is looking to go 2-0 against the city of Philadelphia this season, as they are coming off of an overtime win against Drexel. Temple’s Khalif Wyatt is the real deal, however.

Detroit at St. John’s: It’s unclear whether or not St. John’s will have a pair of still-ineligible JuCo transfers this season, and without them they could be in trouble. Detroit is led by the talented-Ray McCallum Jr.

Cleveland State/Bowling Green at No. 5 Michigan: Michigan should be able to knock off either of these teams, but the Wolverines have been labeled as overrated by most of the computer rankings. This will be their first game against a Division I opponent.

You know what? Go ahead. Get some sleep. I ain’t even mad:

Houston Baptist at Hawaii: Root for HBU coach Steven Key. He’s one of the good guys in the business.

Stony Brook at Rider: Stony Brook is the favorite in the America East, but Rider just whipped up on Robert Morris thanks to 26 points from St. John’s-transfer Nurideen Lindsay.

Northern Illinois at Valparaiso: Valpo is the favorite in the Horizon this year.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.

North Carolina transfer Caleb Love commits to Arizona

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:59 AM EDT

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Love is now headed to Arizona.

The North Carolina transfer tweeted, less than a month after decommitting from Michigan, that he will play next season with the Wildcats.

“Caleb is a tremendously talented guard who has significant experience playing college basketball at a high level,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together. Now it’s time for the real work to start.”

A 6-foot-4 guard, Love averaged 14.6 points and 3.3 assists in three seasons at North Carolina. He averaged 17.6 points in seven NCAA Tournament games, helping lead the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game.

Love entered the transfer portal after leading North Carolina with 73 3-pointers as a junior and initially committed to Michigan. He decommitted from the Wolverines earlier this month, reportedly due to an admissions issue involving academic credits.

Love narrowed his transfer targets to three schools before choosing to play at Arizona over Gonzaga and Texas.

Love will likely start on a team that will have dynamic perimeter players, including Pelle Larsson, Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”

Clemson leading scorer Hall withdraws from NBA draft, returns to Tigers

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:15 PM EDT

Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson leading scorer PJ Hall is returning to college after withdrawing from the NBA draft on Thursday.

The 6-foot-10 forward took part in the NBA combine and posted his decision to put off the pros on social media.

Hall led the Tigers with 15.3 points per game this past season. He also led the Tigers with 37 blocks, along with 5.7 rebounds. Hall helped Clemson finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference while posting a program-record 14 league wins.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said Hall gained experience from going through the NBA’s combine that will help the team next season. “I’m counting on him and others to help lead a very talented group,” he said.

Hall was named to the all-ACC third team last season as the Tigers went 23-10.